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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. drill — army training
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. staff — employees
  12. rash — a series
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. drill — the tool
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. staff — a stick
  19. sharp — clever
  20. staff — employees
  21. drill — a practice
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. rash — hasty
  24. lash — a whip stroke

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com